HYDERABAD: Following Covid-19 restrictions and hindrances in the export of mangoes, a joint meeting of producers, traders, industrialists and a courier service provider was held at a mango farm near Hyderabad to discuss supply chain mechanism and linkages between stakeholders.
Leading mango producers participated in the discussion and asked stakeholders to join hands to boost mango trade, which for the last two years was experiencing ups and downs.
Industrialists, representing their firms sought support from producers for developing mango pulp and other value-added products. They apprised the meeting that the demand for different products, including mango pulp, juice, fruit sauces, jam, and dried mango slices was high.
They also revealed that some countries were extracting oil from mango waste seeds, which could benefit farmers here too. Currently, there was no mechanism to use waste seed.
Traders and contractors were also part of the meeting.
Mango producers give their fruit gardens to contractors for three to five years. These contractors bear the cost of picking, packing, and labour to ensure supply of the product to the markets.
However, due to the closure of markets and other hindrances in exports, traders feel uneasy and reportedly have asked farmers for a discount at cost to close deals. Traders were unable to export the fruit and as a result were facing losses.
Some reports show that contractors breached traditional deals and left the farmers in a lurch on refusal to offer discounts, which ranged from Rs1 million to Rs10, depending on the product and area.
Participants of the meeting urged the government to support the supply chain mechanism, and also help in setting up small mango pulping units at farms for value-addition.
Mango farmers asked courier companies to offer special package / services to facilitate them from farms to markets at national and international levels.
Ali Palh, mango producer from Tando Allahyar district, who was also present at the meeting, said farmers wanted to sell their product directly and get rid of traders, contractors and middlemen. Courier service providers themselves were experiencing competition in the way of their working in major cities and were willing to shift hand from services to this new trade, which has more potential.
Therefore, they have offered services to facilitate producers at reasonable rates, compared to traditional mechanisms of truckload, which sometimes damage the fruits.
Recent gusty winds and hailstorm in the province has inflicted huge losses on mangoes this season. According to growers, a small 20-acre garden collected at least 100 maund raw mangoes after strong winds. The mango product presently available in the market has come from the gardens that were affected, and therefore the produce was ripened artificially.
Dr Zulfiqar Yousfani, another leading grower apprised participants from the courier company that Sindh has a variety of seasonal fruits, which might be attractive for their supply chain mechanism.
He spoke of various varieties, some of which could be available throughout the year. However, he reminded that strengthening the supply chain was necessary for that.
Sarwar Panhwer, Managing Director, MH Panhwar fruit farm and host of the meeting, said his 120-acre farm offered 32 mango varieties, besides 15 other fruits, which were not available at any other farm in the province. He said among the 32 varieties, four were varieties for diabetics.
The actual season of mango begins from June 5. Growers start harvesting when they see naturally ripened fruits on the trees in their gardens.
The meeting also discussed water scarcity, which some farmers said was damaging crop productivity.
Tail end farmers have been facing hardships and are not able to save the fruits, as they do not get their proper share of the previous resource.
